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5 Ways to Stay Warm & Happy this Winter…

Winter can be hard on the body, mind and spirit. Besides the bone chilling winds and frosts, you have less sunshine and that can bring you down. During the winter months nature is doing lots of things to get ready for Spring. Most of that prep involves rest and stillness. Winter is a great time to start a stillness practice and reflect on what you want to achieve in the Spring.

The thing is, being still in the middle of Winter can make you feel the cold even more. So, I wanted to share a few habits that keep me warm and happy at the same time.

Here are 5 Things you can Do to Stay Warm & Happy this winter:

1. Tea Time- The idea of creating a warming ritual can really ease your mind, your body, and warm the cockles of your heart (spirit). The act of making time to sit down with a warm cup of something tasty gives you permission to rest.

It doesn’t have to be tea, it can be a great cup of java or even a cup of soup. After all Winter is a time to rest and slow down, not that many of us do that.In nature, most creatures would either move on to a warmer place or hibernate in the cold region. Since most of us just tough it out and go against nature, the least we can do is give ourselves some down time.

Tea time gives us a rest, it stops the clock, it makes us focus on us without interruption from cell phones, TV, kids, or the computer. Allowing yourself just 5-10 minutes focusing on this interaction, sipping warmth into your body, is a lot like meditating and can set you up for a great day!

I love making tea with my favorite tea cup. As silly as it sounds this little ritual really makes me happy, not to mention warmer! I love that.

2. Fuzzy Socks- Now that I have them I don’t know what I would do without them. When the floor is cold it sends a chill right up your legs straight to your neck. Blah!

Fuzzy socks, with those little rubber grips on the bottom, are a great way to stop that chill in its tracks. Heated floors would be nice too, but if you don’t have them fuzzy socks are the next best thing.

You can find them on sale at places like Marshalls or Ross. For the truly crafty you can even knit some thick ones for yourself. I found this great post on Pinterest that is a must try for this Winter. They look pretty easy so why not?

3. Spice it Up- Warming herbs are the perfect internal treat to create some heat. Try some new spices like Chinese 5 Spice. Its great with string beans, mung bean noodles, or you can be adventurous and make up your own new style of fried rice.

The herbs in this blend, cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise and peppercorns, are considered warming herbs and help the body warm up. They also taste great. Good food makes most of us really happy!

4. Snuggle with a puppy- Ever hear that saying “three dog night”? Dogs run slightly hotter than us humans, normally around 101 degrees. Their toasty little butts can really turn up the heat. Take advantage of these little fluffy furnaces. Its warm love wrapped in fur.

If you don’t have a dog, why not adopt one? There are lots of great dogs looking for a forever home, and they come with warming benefits.

5. Old School Heater-This one might sound like I’m being cheap but it really really works better than anything else I’ve tried. Electric blankets scare me. I’m not sure why but the idea of having an electrical device that is heating up fabric while I sleep just does not put me at ease.

Turning the heat up in the rest of the house is a big old waste of energy and my goal is to save energy and not waste resources. But its cold, you say! Yes, I feel it too so I came up with this little ditty.

You boil some water and fill up a hot water bottle. Put the bottle in your bed about 15 minutes before bedtime. Wow! Does that heat up your cold sheets, blanket and the surrounding area. Best part is it stays warm well into morning!

I love this trick. It saves money, is safe, and actually works. I wouldn’t leave it in the bed with a child-it is really hot! However, its a great way to heat the bed up before they get in. I leave my hot water bottle there all night, it heats everything perfectly and feels like you are sleeping on a warm sunny beach-at least in my mind. That thought makes me really happy.

Those are the things I do to stay warm and happy in the Winter months. I’d love to hear what you’ve come up with to stay happy and warm this winter. Post your comments below.